My PC misbehaved again this morning and it was obvious that something needed to be done. But what? To cover all the bases, I disconnected the PC and put it in a bag together with the power cable.

Tigger also has a problem to solve which is to move large numbers of photos from her PC to a backup device, the type and size of which remains to be decided.

Aboard the 73

Clutching the PC in its bag, we hopped on a number 73 bus that took us to Tottenham Court Road.

Curry’s

The bus brought us here to one of the stores in the chain now known as Curry’s, previously as PC World.

First, I went to the repairs section where I presented the faulty laptop. I suggested that one solution might be to simply convert it from Windows 8.1 to Windows 10. That could certainly be done, according to the technician, but he wanted me to buy a new hard disc from Amazon and bring it to him with the PC. Then he would set it all up.

That would certainly be the cheapest solution but I wondered how long it would last before it failed again owing to some new fault. While thinking it over, we went to look at new Windows laptops.

To cut a long story short, we ended up buying a new laptop. It’s currently running Windows 10 but I was told that we would eventually be offered a free upgrade to Windows 11.

Caffè Nero

If you’ve bought a PC lately you will know that choosing the make and model is just the beginning. It then needs to be set it up, anti-virus installed etc. There were very few chairs available for customer and we had to stand for much of the time. I agreed that Tigger should go across the street to Caffè Nero and wait for me there.

At last it was all done and I left Curry’s carrying a box containing the new PC. I dodged through the traffic of Tottenham Court Road to join Tigger in Caffè Nero.

Another 73 bus

There is a bus stop right in front of Caffè Nero and here we caught another 73 bus, going in the opposite direction this time.

We stopped at home to drop off the two computers and then we caught a number 19 bus along Upper Street.

Islington Town Hall

We left the bus at Islington Town Hall.

Workers’ Cafe

We had come here to have lunch at the Workers’ Cafe, assuming they were open. Happily they were.

Inside the Workers’ Cafe

We had a leisurely lunch though I was thinking about all the work that remains to be done before the new computer is set up as I want it. Windows 10 is sufficiently different from Windows 8.1 that I have to do work to find out how to perform simple tasks I could without a second thought in Windows 8.1. I will become accustomed to it, of course, but for now there is a learning curve to negotiate.

The poor old Windows 8.1 PC has found temporary lodging under the bed. How long it will remain there in retirement is anyone’s guess.